Shirazi Benefits makes ethics a requirement for all

When ethics and profit seem to conflict, Shirazi Benefits says its integrity is more important than its pocketbook.

The independent insurance agency has had to give up clients when outbid by competitors fudging company size for the sake of a deal. This kind of ethical behavior has made a name for Shirazi, and earned it one of this year’s BBB Torch Awards.

Located in Greeley, Shirazi specializes in group employee benefits and estate and business planning. As an independent insurance agency, the company pairs its clients with the providers and packages that best fit their individual situation, saving insurance amateurs from what can be a tortuous and time-consuming task. Shirazi then acts as a liaison between the two parties to resolve any claim issues, using its expertise and experience to get its clients results.

Shirazi works with both individuals and groups, representing more than 350 clients, ranging in group sizes from one to 2,000.

Masoud Shirazi founded the business in 1976, was joined by his brother Hossein Shirazi in 1981 and Ty Miller in 1992 to become Shirazi Benefits, one of the largest benefit brokerages in Northern Colorado. The company has 10 full-time employees with a combined 132 years of experience in the industry. Ethics training is a requirement at the agency, spearheaded by the three principals, who believe strongly that success comes from integrity and reputation — not cutting corners for extra cash. Management encourages its employees to show sympathy and empathy to their clients, believing that at the end of the day, “people do business with people,” Miller said in an interview for the award.

The principals are active members in several community initiatives, most notably those related to health and exercise. Shirazi participated in the BizFit Challenge, and periodically gives away bicycles — a way of showing, according to its website, that Shirazi is a company that cares not only about benefits, “but about the health and well-being of its employees and clients.”